Two wounded in shootings in Soledad, Greenfield

Two shootings about an hour apart in two Salinas Valley cities on Tuesday resulted in two men being airlifted to a San Francisco Bay Area trauma center, police said.

About 6:25 p.m., Soledad police found a 19-year-old man in his vehicle in the 200 block of Third Street with gunshot wounds to his upper left arm and torso. Police said someone had approached from the driver's side and began shooting.

The man was treated at the scene and taken to nearby Vosti Park to be airlifted to the hospital.

Then, about 7:30 p.m. in Greenfield, police were on routine patrol when they heard five to six shots fired from the area of Palm Avenue and 11th Street.

When police responded, they were flagged down by a 29-year-old man with gunshot wounds to his left thigh and shoulder area.

Though conscious and communicative, police said, the man was airlifted to the Bay Area.

Police said the man was walking southbound on 11th when a passenger sitting in a parked white sedan exited the car and began shooting.

The motives for both shootings are under investigation. The first man is a known gang member, police said, and though the second man is known to have associated with local gangs in the past, there is no indication he is an active member.

Soledad police ask anyone with information to call detective Jorge Arreola at 223-5166 or the Police Department at 223-5121.

Those with information on the Greenfield shooting are asked to call detective Rey Medeles at 674-5111, ext. 2261.